Examining the impact of cycle lanes on cyclist-motor vehicle collisions in the city of Toronto

Objectives: To examine whether implementation of painted cycle lanes in Toronto, Canada is associated with a reduction in cycle-motor vehicle collisions (CMVCs). Methods: A pre-post design was used to evaluate the frequency of CMVCs pre- and post-installation of 7 cycle lanes in Toronto, Canada. Study data was obtained from Toronto Police Service reports for collisions occurring between 1991 and 2010. A zero-inflated Poisson model was used to determine the effect of cycle lane installation on CMVC frequency. Results: Over the study period (January 1, 1991-December 31, 2010), a total of 23,959 collisions between cyclists and motor vehicles were reported in Toronto. Of these collisions, 329 occurred on the 7 lane segments included in this analysis. There was no statistically significant change, pre to post implementation of painted cycle lanes; however, a 19% reduction in the frequency of collisions per segment month (IRR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.65, 1.03) was observed. There were also no statistically significant differences in the frequency of collisions that resulted in minimal/minor injuries (IRR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.59, 1.20) or in major/fatal injuries (IRR=0.72, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.01). There was a statistically significant increase in collisions that resulted in no injuries (IRR=5.00, 95% CI: 1.44, 17.28). Conclusion: The implementation of painted cycle lanes had a non-significant effect in reducing collisions between cyclists and motor vehicles. Cycle lanes could be considered as a means to facilitate active transportation while reducing risk for cyclists, given the conservative nature of our estimate. Further research is needed on intersection treatments, cycle tracks, and bike volumes. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.